PC temperature control
Abstract
Our project is a standalone temperature and fan monitoring and control unit for the PC. It uses the temperature readings to adjust fan speeds in order to regulate temperature and noise. The system is flexible in that it can be configured to be either completely autonomous, or set up to be configurable. It is also highly configurable in the setting up of the features and parameters. The entire unit is controlled by the 2 Atmel Mega32 MCUs - 1 for the main control unit and 1 for the RF remote control, with inputs to the ADC (for thermal sensors), port pins, RS232 serial connection and output to the LCD, port pins and RS232 serial connection. The RF remote control controls specific settings of the unit. The main unit is powered off a standard 4-pin PC Molex power connector while the remote control is powered off a 9V battery.
Introduction
Computer devices have steadily increased in transistor count and clock speed as dictated by Moore's Law. Despite various attempts at reducing power consumption and dissipation, power budgets have increased steadily, and thermal output has also increased correspondingly. Over the past 2 decades, microchips have gone from requiring no cooling, to passive cooling with a heatsink only and subsequently to active cooling with a heatsink and fan. As thermal output continues to increase, exotic cooling techniques that require large and fast spinning fans will undoubtedly be required.
Link: PC temperature control
Abstract
Our project is a standalone temperature and fan monitoring and control unit for the PC. It uses the temperature readings to adjust fan speeds in order to regulate temperature and noise. The system is flexible in that it can be configured to be either completely autonomous, or set up to be configurable. It is also highly configurable in the setting up of the features and parameters. The entire unit is controlled by the 2 Atmel Mega32 MCUs - 1 for the main control unit and 1 for the RF remote control, with inputs to the ADC (for thermal sensors), port pins, RS232 serial connection and output to the LCD, port pins and RS232 serial connection. The RF remote control controls specific settings of the unit. The main unit is powered off a standard 4-pin PC Molex power connector while the remote control is powered off a 9V battery.
Introduction
Computer devices have steadily increased in transistor count and clock speed as dictated by Moore's Law. Despite various attempts at reducing power consumption and dissipation, power budgets have increased steadily, and thermal output has also increased correspondingly. Over the past 2 decades, microchips have gone from requiring no cooling, to passive cooling with a heatsink only and subsequently to active cooling with a heatsink and fan. As thermal output continues to increase, exotic cooling techniques that require large and fast spinning fans will undoubtedly be required.
Link: PC temperature control